


Honor Among Friends

by ZorialDiamond



Series: White and Black [3]
Category: Runescape
Genre: Battle, Character Interaction, Conflict, Drama, Flashback, Friendship, Gen, Heist, Memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-10 02:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11118195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZorialDiamond/pseuds/ZorialDiamond
Summary: This is one of my first long fics, this time being an adaptation of Dishonor Among Thieves that got a lot longer than I expected it to at first. This quest would naturally be a lot more interesting with two World Guardians on the case, especially those like Zorial and Mole. However, I decided to put more of the focus on character interaction rather than on the heist itself to avoid just rehashing the quest. Some elements are a bit different, but hey, that's what fic is for!(The BGM is optional, it was something I was experimenting with at the time to enhance the experience.)





	1. Prologue: Just Another Slayer Task

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my first long fics, this time being an adaptation of Dishonor Among Thieves that got a lot longer than I expected it to at first. This quest would naturally be a lot more interesting with two World Guardians on the case, especially those like Zorial and Mole. However, I decided to put more of the focus on character interaction rather than on the heist itself to avoid just rehashing the quest. Some elements are a bit different, but hey, that's what fic is for!
> 
> (The BGM is optional, it was something I was experimenting with at the time to enhance the experience.)

**Soli Deo Gloria**

_[BGM Playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDzzp_B2JBzW2XGKs4N5mHb0YxYTn4zUq) _

_BGM: Barb Wire (RS2 Version)[www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqZiVs…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqZiVsSvR_g) _

"Huh..."

Zorial muttered to herself with her arms crossed as she surveyed the second bluish-greenish chamber in Kuradal's slayer dungeon. A chamber that she noted was conspicuously empty.

There were hellhounds nipping her on the way in that would probably be nipping her on her way out. She saw steel and iron dragons romping about in the centermost chamber shaking the cavern with tiny tremors. If she squinted she was fairly certain she could make out abyssals warping about with the same unpredictability as a five-year-old on a sugar rush. Also, dark beasts that would make an excellent snack for a certain friend of hers.

She had even waited several minutes to see if she had simply missed them, or if they had decided momentarily to go back to the abyss. No, Kuradal would have done a better job at securing her slayerly catches than that.

So why on Gielinor weren't there any greater demons about?

Immediately she turned around, raising a small crystal shield, passing through the portal and making a quick sprint in the dimly lit cavern, a couple of the hellhounds pulling off a feather or two from her wings, which caused her to wince slightly, almost running straight into one of the lead Slayer Masters before catching herself.

"Is something wrong, Zorial?" Kuradal said, the somewhat tribal accent quite familiar in giving both advice and seemingly inordinate amounts of monsters to slay at times, at least until Morvran in Prifiddnas made her tasks look like a trifle.She resisted going to the Elvish Slayer Master again after only a few tasks, given how despite her experience his tasks and demeanor made her uneasy. It was difficult to work for a teacher she could hardly please, after all.

"Yes, you assigned 254 greater demons, and there aren't any greater demons in there." She said. "Did they escape?"

"No, that wouldn't be the case. I've secured that section against unauthorized abyssal teleports," she commented, crossing her surprisingly muscled arms.

_As I thought._ Zorial said to herself.

"Hmm, it seems some of my newer students made quick work of them, I'll need to catch more..." She said, looking down and muttering to herself a bit, while a rogue abyssal demon crept out of the cavern's mouth presently unnoticed.

"Aha, I've got it!" She said, looking up. "Zorial, get out of the way!" 

Without much warning, an omni-elemental blast of magic sent the abyssal hurtling back into the cavern, missing Zorial's main body but leaving her left wing with a distinctly unpleasant appearance. 

"Can I move away from the cave mouth this time before you tell me?" Zorial said with a somewhat flat tone, to which Kuradal nodded, as the icyene walked around the well-built and armored daughter of Duradel. 

"Aye. You've accrued over 700 tasks from slayer masters overall, which means soon enough you'll be able to have students of your own. But, you'll need to be able to trap monsters in sufficient numbers for your students to hunt at times, as I have. So, instead of killing that many greater demons...how about you try trapping and bringing back here at least 50 or so?" She said, with a somewhat clinical tone and arms akimbo. 

"...Well, that's new." Zorial said, a somewhat surprised look on her face. "Isn't that something more for a Hunter master than a Slayer Master?" 

"Hunters generally tend to be concerned with more 'natural' creatures whereas we Slayers are more concerned with those that would concern Gielinor's general welfare and safety. I would give you advice, but I trust you're both intelligent enough and know enough about magic to be able to get the job done. After all, you are a Master too...and as a Master yourself you should also know that distinction." She said, perhaps with some light chastisement.

"...Right. And if I do need any advice, there's always this." Zorial said, pointing to the ring of slaying which she had carved a slot for into her gauntlet, with a light smile and a confident look in her eyes. "And this," she said, then pointing to a greenish blue ferocious ring, one of many she had accrued in her quest to become a Master from Kuradal's pets.

_And a certain friend of mine,_ she also thought.

Just as Zorial began a lodestone teleport to Karamja, however, Kuradal gave her a light smack, disrupting the spell.

"Hey, what was that for?" Zorial said, a slightly surprised and injured tone to her voice, her hand gravitating unconsciously to the lightly injured spot.

Kuradal stepped back, a look of light disappointment on her face. "I know what you're thinking. 'I'm going to go to Brimhaven and trap the greater demons there.' That would be a bit too lazy, don't you think? I've got something better. There are rumors going about of some demonic flash mobs courtesy of Zamorak...How about trapping those?" She said, while Zorial just stared at Kuradal in disbelief. The normally serious woman seemed to be a bit joyful, even giddy.

_I haven't ever beaten Tz-Tok-Jad, and you assign me this? Maybe Morvran's tasks are more sane than I thought..._

"And, if you get even better at this, we can trap some dragonkin to slay." She said, more with serious determination, while Zorial tried her best to hide her visceral reaction. With enough passing time, she calmed herself.

_I shouldn't get too ahead of myself and think that just since I'm wearing a fancy black and red cape that only Masters can wear that now I somehow have all knowledge. I have once heard it said that the wisest man still knows he have a lot to learn. I guess the same applies to slaying as well. You never really forget the basics, only build upon them..._

"Yes, Kuradal." Zorial then adjusted the teleport, going to Edgeville instead.


	2. Where Past and Present Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zorial sets about accomplishing her rather unusual slayer task.

_Where Past and Present Meet_

_BGM: Forever (2004 Version)[www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGgIhy…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGgIhyQTHS8) _

While she had no guarantee of where the next mob would be, the last one she remembered seeing was indeed in Edgeville. Her and a few passing adventurers resolved that appearance with only minimal damage to the town itself and with excited cries from one Evil Dave.

Edgeville these days was in a state of disarray, as villagers were still picking up their lives from the attack of the dragonkin. They thankfully hadn't struck anywhere else, as if Edgeville were more of a warning sign than the first in a whole string of like attacks. Zorial reasoned that meant they at least had some control over themselves...

Zorial mentally chastised herself, getting herself back on track. She walked to the center of the town on the edge of the wilderness where never much going on in the vicinity besides the activity of those who were brave enough to brave the wilderness and those who waited around to profit from their bravery (or foolishness). Today was certainly no different. She saw the pile of stone that was the separation between the rest of Gielinor and the wilderness, reminiscing on how there was once no boundary at all, then a ditch, then a small wall. 

_Back on track, Zorial. The sooner you get done with this, the sooner you can get back to a normal slayer task._  To know where the flash mobs might show up next, she thought she would probably want to investigate the commonalities of their appearance. As if trying to find someplace to start she recalled that there was a feeling of chaotic and demonic energy in the air just prior to their appearance.

Her mind then wandered to the business of catching them. She had caught imps in boxes before, but these were well, bigger demons. And how, she pondered over, was she supposed to get them back down to the Ancient Cavern?

_Maybe I'll ask Vannaka about where they've shown up in the past._

She made her way south to the ruins and down the trapdoor, past the skeletons and zombies, the yew trees and nettles and the slightly creepy coffins. 

_Ah, this is one of the first places I first came to adventuring..._

It seemed to be an eon ago. Amongst many later accrued memories of adventure, she  could still recall wielding her father's sword for the first time, with her dear old friend by her side, her messy blond hair tied back in a ponytail and her grey eyes sparkling with energy. She smiled a bit as images of them romping through Lumbridge and Varrock jumped to mind, and indeed later to this wilderness town. They dared one another to try and jump over, hoping that the other would bring back treasures and tales of glory the other could delight in. The only reason she had for even considering going there then though was remembering that once the undead had poured out from there, leaving the very sword she then wielded as an heirloom.

However, despite the trauma at the time, she reminded herself that was many years ago. What was once somewhat terrifying now seemed commonplace, as the skeletons down the way and tunnels didn't even bother to attack anymore, as she made her way past with ease, dirt transitioning to brick walls as Zorial made her way past the gate and to the small tunnel system where a certain nostalgic member among the slaying instructors resided.

"You haven't dropped by for a task in a very long time, Zorial." the man said, steel armor gleaming brightly and one-two-handed sword wielded in a way that was quite uncommon for a human, with a somewhat wild beard (though with baldness) and war paint. He possesed a well-toned and muscular body with steel armor on just his legs and his wrists. Once she had severely coveted the dragon square shield that Vannaka brandished; but as with most Slayers on their journey to becoming a Master, soon the treasures of Gielinor, while pretty, seemed almost commonplace as well. 

"It's not to get a task, but for information on a task I'm working on for Kuradal. Basically, she has a shortage of greater demons and she wants me to catch some from the flash mobs that have been appearing as of late for replenishing. However, I need to know where they are and where I can find them." 

"Aha." For a moment, Vannaka set down his weaponry.

"We've had some more appear in Edgeville since the last time we met, but there also have been more sightings reported by other Masters. Sumona has spoken of some appearing in the desert, and I have also heard reports of some appearing in the wilderness as well. The Raptor has also spoken of some appearing in the general vicinity of Seer's Village and the Legend's Guild." he said as Zorial scribbled down some notes. 

"Were all of these pervaded by a chaotic aura?" Zorial asked, to which Vannaka nodded.

_Wait, what am I thinking...why would demons of Zamorak show up in regularly occuring locations? That would go against chaos...maybe if I look everywhere they HAVEN'T been sighted, I would be more likely to find some. Wait, nevermind. I could probably walk in a random direction and have a better chance._ She sighed a bit, before composing herself again.

"I think I have all the information I need. Thank you...and thanks for your help from the very beginning." Zorial said, with a bit of a wave and a slight smile, with more nostalgic memories drifting through her mind. Ah, she remembered the days where Misthalin would send adventuring hopefuls to the camp they called Newbie Island in the hopes to raise up heroes in those days that were desperately needed....

_How much more we need them now,_ she pondered, since the island had sunk into the sea.

"It is an honor, Zorial. If there is any new information you would like to report or ask about, you know how to contact me." Vannaka responded, with something of a distant and dreamlike look in his eyes, picking up his sword and shield once again.

Perhaps he was reminiscing a bit too, Zorial thought. Perhaps he was thinking of the days in the 5th Age where despite the strife, there seemed to be a level of relative peace. Reflecting on things, however, it seemed to be brief days that were the eye of a storm in the backdrop of Gielinor's greater history.

As Zorial walked away, relishing some memories from her earlier adventuring days, the background processing of her mind interrupted her train of thought with a report on the earlier problem of transporting the demons.

_Of course, the ferocious rings! I have a small chest full of those. If I could just modify and harness the spell contained in them, I should have a chance. Maybe I have more of a clue on how to do this than I thought._

With that, she walked away, through the tunnels and back out to the surface again, her mind set on going to the nearby bank to try and retrieve the necessary materials.


	3. Interception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Zorial sets about her task, other forces observe and interpret.

BGM: Touhou 7.5 Pre-Battle Theme: Demonic Place  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIxZAT…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIxZATBB-oo)

Deep underground the ever phantasmagorical and chaotic depths of Daemonheim, one region especially blazing a scarlet red and marked about by strange runes and infernal whispers, rumored to be a place of sheer madness even by the most dedicated of dungeoneers, somehow remained static. The cavernous area was lit up only dimly by lamps and magical energy, giving off the general impression of a descent into an infernal, strange and eldritch realm.

Conferring in the confine were two individuals, one the well-feared, revered, and oft prejudiced against patron of chaos in Gielinor, the Mahjarrat-turned-deity Zamorak. He was clothed in striking red and crested by similarly red and overgrown horns, leading down to a similarly red gem and eyes set in deathly pale skin. The scarlet red robes he wore simultaneously gave off a noble and garish impression. 

One significantly less flashy stood by his side, similarly pale skin and significantly less pronounced horns and red gem in his forehead, pale grey and white robes. Indeed, this one had expended much effort over several years in order to reach the depths in order to bring about his dear master's return, seeming not to care about the lives of the humans or other beings he had to expend in the process. As it turns out, the Mahjarrat got lucky rather than dying a mad death, as his lord was able to return as a result of the Sixth Age. This was Bilrach, the one who was labelled a fool whose faithfulness was vindicated, albeit now in secret. 

Moments later a tall, mostly human-looking woman, appeared in the chamber.  Human looking save for the grey tint to her skin, the strange red markings on her forehead and silver stripes under her eyes and the strange pink glow in her eyes. She also wore form-fitting gold and pink armor and dress accenting a generally attractive appearance for the brown-haired haired half-Mahjarrat.

"Ah, Moia, you have returned. What new information have you to report?" Zamorak inquired, standing at the end of the cavern, arms in the sleeves of his robe, as she approached and took her place by his side.

"Our spies have confirmed the location of Sliske's hideout and several of the obstacles therein. For now it seems that for the most part the other gods are not making moves to strike...perhaps trying to plan or ready for some kind of attack, most likely." Moia reported, one hand on her hip.

"That is good news indeed." Zamorak responded, "it means we have time to gather ourselves as well, before one of the other factions attacks us."

"However, they also told of multiple sightings of the White Guardian seeming to be experimenting with ways to catch demons...some who have escaped reporting that several of their comrades were trapped by a spell and sent away to the Ancient Cavern. I do not know why, but I suspect she may be conducting some kind of a sabotage campaign." Moia said, in a respectful and discreet fashion.

"A sabotage campaign for who? Armadyl? That was the White Guardian's last reported alignment," Bilrach commented, an inquisitive and strategic strain to his voice.

"She might very well have gone back to her Saradominist roots again," Moia interjected, still calm but with a bit more passion in her voice. "You saw her support Saradomin with zeal during the Battle of Lumbridge. It wouldn't be beyond her." 

"No matter what the case would be...we would certainly need more power to be able to strike back at whomever would attack." Zamorak said. "You know of what I speak. Where are the Black Guardian's whereabouts?"

"We do not know for certain, but somewhere underground," Moia commented. "He supported us during the battle, and would probably have no qualms with helping us again. The main trouble will be in finding him; he often keeps to himself." 

"If we can find the White Guardian, we may well find the corresponding Black shadow." Bilrach added, closing his eyes momentarily, as if in contemplation. 

"Fate would likely have it so we could not steal the Stone of Jas without both," the deity of chaos said, with both a degree of objectivity and some strain and frustration. He lowered his arms.

"...Find them, Moia, and bring both to us, if you can. And if you cannot, we will make do unless we cannot succeed without her. And of course, keep me current on this matter. You know we have few other options, if any at all."

"Yes, Lord Zamorak." Moia responded, with a light bow, before making her way out of the chamber.

 _The greater challenge is not finding them, but convincing the White Guardian of our cause...._ Moia thought.

BGM: The Inevitably Forbidden Game: Remastered  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVJ8ww…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVJ8wwvucvI)

"27 more to go...which means about two more flash mobs. " Zorial muttered, keeping a mental tally as she watched several more demons vanish within a ring of green magic sparkles.

After several trial runs, a modification of the magic in the ferocious rings combined with a teleport-blocking spell upon completion seemed to work well enough to capture several of the mobs, some appearing north and south of Falador, some elsewhere in the Kharidian desert, some in the lower levels of the Wilderness, this one in the deeper reaches. Thank the gods she had so many, heh. And thankfully she also had wings, which most of the marauders of the wilderness lacked. For a little while, she could make an aerial escape from anything but the dragons and the Chaos Elemental.

Unlike her usual slayer tasks though, where the monsters generally tended to be either mindless or dead too fast to really think of a strategy against her, these demons got more crafty over time. Probably because oddly enough, rather than killing them she was merely trapping them, which turned out to be more of a challenge.

Sometimes she would have to weaken them and use some holy-amplified stun spells to immobilize them and then activate the teleport while they were burning with pain. To any outsider unaware of the White Guardian's background, it would indeed look like that Saradomin was sending an Icyene agent to vanquish evil and exorcise the land of demons, albeit this one wearing a modified Slayer cape whose colors generally tended to clash with the  white armor of paladins and priestly robes.

 _Wait till I tell Mole about this task, heh._ She thought to herself with a smile. _Too bad demons turn to ash when they die. I don't know if he would find them appetizing anyhow. I ought to at least get a steak for him, anyhow. Heh, I'm near enough to [LOCATION REDACTED] now, maybe I'll surprise him...but then I would have to..._

_BGM Change: Wilderness  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze_oex…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze_oexe6v3k) _

Her thought was cut off by the sudden appearance of a certain half-Mahjarrat.

"Hello, White Guardian." She said simply, approaching with a careful gait before standing still, while Zorial had to catch up to what she was seeing and hearing. She stood seemingly in an almost casual fashion. Certainly it was no coincidence that the flash mobs had led her deeper and deeper into the Wilderness's remote reaches; it was, after all, an ideal place to converse with few daring to listen in.

"...Moia?" Zorial's expression jumped to one of surprise and bewilderment. Memories of what a certain sage at Daemonheim had told of her, and allowed her to experience, flooded into her mind, bringing conflicted feelings of sympathy but also feelings of slight paranoia. Although, the paranoia may very well be justified, have come from memories of nearly being incinerated in the Zamorakian camp during the Battle of Lumbridge at the beckoning of her voice to either get out or die, Saradominist scum!

_BGM Change: Lullaby of a Deserted Hell  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Qacm…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-QacmltD4g)_

"Yes, it is me. The circumstances have arisen to prompt Lord Zamorak to seek you out for help. As I'm sure you may have figured, our faction has suffered terribly since the loss, despite the help of the Black Guardian. However, he alone will not be able to help us. We need you both." She said, crossing her arms, seeming to keep in mind both her reverence for her lord yet also her more than slight distaste for the Icyene standing in front of her.

For a moment, Zorial paused, and held out a finger in front of her, moving it about as if moving about bits of information on a touchscreen, perhaps as some aid to organizing her thoughts.

"However, I cannot tell you more until you swear to secrecy. Will you find and bring the Black Guardian with you, and save Zamorak from his darkest hour?" She said, almost in ways like an actor in some elaborate play, her inflection rising towards the end of the statement.

"And why do you think I would come along with you?" Zorial said, in an inquisitive but non-accusatory manner. "...Haven't I been trapping a number of your lord's own demons lately?" She said, before wondering why she felt compelled to mention it.

_I won't lie, this is somewhat intriguing. There's something that feels wrong about it...but my intuition tells me there's some important things I could learn from this that I couldn't otherwise._

"We are well aware that you supported Saradomin during the Battle of Lumbridge. But you bear no ill will towards the Black Guardian for supporting Zamorak. And...I'm sure we can find other motivations for you to assist us." Moia said, with shifty eyes and a bit of a suspicious tone in her voice.

"And by the way, the demon-trapping was nothing personal. Just a weird slayer task. We Slayers protect Gielinor from whatever threats plague it, no matter which god they serve." Zorial said, crossing her arms and glancing to the side, before looking at Moia again with the look of a detective interrogating a witness of some crime. "Why do you need me too, though? Why not just Mole?" She said, almost as if trying to talk Moia out of it.

"I cannot say more about the matter until you accept." Moia said, stalwart in her response.

"...I'll need time to consider it. However, I am not rejecting it just yet." Zorial said, her hands lowered and steady once again, though her neutral facade wavered ever so slightly.

"If you indeed accept, meet me at the Empyrean Citadel, and bring the Black Guardian with you as well. But even if not, pass on my message to him." She said, walking away, seemingly as quickly as she came, leaving Zorial alone.

 _I guess I ought to finish this task._ She thought, before taking flight and scanning the landscape of Gielinor for more signs of the demons.

**Some time later....**

"And there's the task completed." Zorial said, having tracked down two more mobs indeed, though this time the demons seemed a bit more aware of what she was doing and instead seemed to have a bit of fun with it.

_BGM Change: Undertale - Waterfall  
[youtu.be/xNTwYzoFzck](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/xNTwYzoFzck)_

She returned with a swift teleport to Kuradal's dungeon, where she waited with a surprisingly pleased look on her face.

"...Hello, Kuradal, you look happy." Zorial observed simply, to which the master nodded.

"You have passed the test I set up for you," She said, almost as if she were ready to skip like a seven-year old. "Once the other Masters are aware and endorse you, we will begin assigning you students of your own. Ah, this is certainly a...GET BACK IN THERE!" 

Yet another omni-elemental blast, and a certain rebellious steel dragon was blasted back into the cave, with a somewhat agonizing roar.

"That's good to hear...I thought there's a lot more I had to do, though." Zorial said with a hand on her chin, somewhat confused.

"Normally, yes, but the Sixth Age is a different situation altogether," Kuradal said, switching to a more serious tone. "More adventurers are taking up their weapons than ever, and with the battles of the gods, there are many corollary attacks, like you have been dealing with. As you are the White Guardian, you have more experience in these matters than we could ever have set up a test for. So I put you through some formalities, and now you're ready to train some of those hopefuls. It doesn't help that we've lost some of our...best masters in recent years." Kuradal said, looking down somewhat, not looking mournful but suddenly becoming more stationary.

 _Yes...It's true I became a Master at least in part because of that shortage. This might be an even better development than suspected..._ Zorial looked into Kuradal's eyes when she raised her head, their tense and blank expressions seeming to linger momentarily.

"How long should the process take?" Zorial said, breaking the silence and as if assembling logistics in her head.

"About half a year or so, depending on how quickly you are ready. You are free to continue taking tasks in the meantime, but I would suggest planning for your new students instead. Acquiring materials, enchanted gems, creating lesson plans and the like. Like I said before, I'm sure you'll figure out a way." Kuradal said, a confident and almost proud tone to her voice.

"Do I get to choose my students, or will my students be chosen for me?" Zorial inquired.

"It depends. Masters that are overloaded will likely send their students your way. However, if you find someone suitably promising, you may take them under your wing without consulting the other Masters.

_Heh, Mole kind of did that with me...I should return the favor._

"And no, don't even think of buying materials from other masters." Kuradal said as Zorial nodded and teleported off once again.

_BGM Change: Quiet Water  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx102N…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx102NjYwqk)_

As it turned out, the Black Guardian was indeed in his [LOCATION REDACTED] underground haunt.

"Hello, Zori, it's been a little while." He said, putting down a book he was reading and sitting upright from being slouched slightly on a stone couch in his underground library, his garb much like what the Vyrelords wore in Darkmeyer; she suspected he wore it often because it didn't make much noise and helped him hide in the shadows. 

"Indeed..." She said, taking a seat by him.

"I've got some news to report...some good, some well...strange." Zorial said, perking Mole's curiosity. 

"Oh?" He replied, adjusting his blindfold.

"Well, Kuradal gave me a somewhat crazy task...but after completing it, she says I can start preparing to finally have students!" She said, to which Mole perked up a bit.

"Good work." He said, then offering a light embrace as a reward.

"Thanks...but now I have to start preparing materials and a lesson plan. What was it like for you in the test?" Zorial asked, as if probing for some advice.

"...I'm afraid I can't help as much as you'd like." He replied, his tone neutral but somewhat remorseful. "I became a Master under unique circumstances." He said, to which Zorial looked somewhat downcast.

"It'll be alright. You're my best student, after all." He smiled a little.

"That is true..." Zorial said, looking down as she pondered.

"So, what's the 'strange' news, then?" He inquired, shifting a bit and looking in Zorial's general direction, even though Zorial was well aware it was something he only did as a convention. He couldn't really see, after all.

"Well...I was approached by Moia recently." Zorial said, with a bit of tension in her voice.

"Hmm?" He replied, the fabric of his blindfold shifting a bit as he raised his unseen eyebrows.

"Yes...she says that Zamorak needs us both in order to 'save him from his darkest hour.'..." she said, doing an impression of Moia as best as she could.

"...I will accept." Mole said simply, without much consideration, crossing his arms. "I do not want Saradomin boasting in his gains of power." 

"I'm just curious as to why he would try and get me too, unless he were really desperate...You would work with him better." Zorial said, pondering the options, hesitantly.

"If Zamorak is desperate, that also means there is less chance of you being betrayed by him later." Mole said, as if trying to reassure Zorial in the event she said yes. "And if he or anyone else tries to harm you..." Mole said, his expression of quiet disapproval telling Zorial all she needed to know, which comforted her.

"Hmmm..." Zorial replied, seemingly deep in thought. "I have always been somewhat curious as to what goes on in Zamorak's camp even if I REALLY don't like some of his followers..." Faces and memories popped into Zorial's mind that she had to exert considerable control to keep her calm against.

Mole simply sat by listening, knowing very well that there were times he didn't need to respond, only to be there as a friendly presence.

Moia drifted again into Zorial's mind. Maybe she was really starting to lose it for real. Maybe the chronicler's magic had some strange impact on the empathetic capacity of her soul. She was curious about why she had joined Zamorak's side, what kind of life she had led even outside of what she had seen and experienced of her. Especially someone who was treated the way she was by Lucien. 

"And if somehow I can find something bad in death of Bandos, I could at least give Zamorak and his side a fair hearing..." she muttered to herself aloud, as Mole continued to keep silent, a calm and patient expression on his face.

"So, are you going then?" Mole said, simply.

"Yes. I have several reasons, though ones based mostly on intuition." Zorial nodded and got up, a new level of confidence in her otherwise pensive expression.

"Do you want to go together or apart?" Mole said, getting up and offering a hand much like a noble knight might to a passing young lady.

"Together, of course." She said, smiling a little.

About an hour and a half later, they met up in the same location and opened the box, the magic sucking the two in.  



	4. Lair of Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With some deliberation, the World Guardians accept Zamorak's call. Black Mole is in his element...Zorial not so much.

_BGM: To The Higher Sky[www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSYxrO…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSYxrOmQRWM) _

On the heights of the skies, far above where any mortal would normally fly, the two were hurled onto the platform by the spell, both getting up to see a familiar statue of Death that was at the entrance of the Empyrean Citadel.

Zorial could only guess what was going through Mole's mind at the time, though memories at the event Sliske held here drifted through her consciousness, remembering how this twisted contest of the battle of the gods had begun.

They together walked down the hall and outside the main chamber where before the various followers of the gods had congregated not too long ago. Now there was only one, Moia, who stood there with a hand on her hip, turning to look at the two World Guardians. 

"Ah, I see you have both arrived." She said, looking the two over, Mole not changing much in attire at all from his normal black stealthy garb (though his hood was now pulled over his head) while Zorial wore some more modest blue wushanko robes with her Slayer cape, as if not to look too out of place when entering into the domain of Gielinor's deity of chaos.

"We accept your offer." Mole responded, to which Zorial nodded to echo his words.

"Will you swear to secrecy about this?" She asked, to which the two nodded again, although Zorial had second opinions rising up that she tried not to show on her face.

"Very well. Our spies have caught wind of Sliske's hideout, where he is hiding the Stone of Jas." Immediately a feeling of dread started to stir in Zorial's stomach, one which she still tried not to show on her face.  She looked over at Mole, who was looking at Moia with arms crossed, his expression quite flat.

"We do not believe he is aware of us just yet. Your mission will be to help the Lord Zamorak acquire the Stone of Jas from him."

_Calm...down, Zorial, there has to be some good side to this..._

_It's just really, really hard to see right now..._ She thought, as memories of Lucien began to come to mind, of the primal rage that she thought she had disciplined away in the time she spent as a Slayer, under Sumona's, Kuradal's, and Mole's tutelage. A rage that scared her.

As if sensing her discomfort, Mole put an arm around Zorial.

She handed the two of them both a white box with some kind of dingy yellow and gray striped orb in it.

"This device will take you straight to where Zamorak is currently staying under Daemonheim. There, you will receive more details about your mission. I shall meet you there." The next moment Moia dissapeared, but the world shifted and suddenly an all too familiar purple-robed and yellow eyed Mahjarrat appeared before the two. 

_BGM Change: Disquieting[youtu.be/BElAOwran28](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/BElAOwran28) _

"Well, hello, you two. It's been a while since the three of us have been together now, has it not?" Sliske said, with an air of mock friendliness. "Did you come back to where I made my announcement again, to relive the good memories?" Mole simply crossed his arms and said nothing, while Zorial's eyebrow furrowed.

"Oh, come on now, have you two gone mute? You're no fun." He said, sounding somewhat bored.  
Zorial was about to say something until Mole poked her lightly on the shoulder. When Zorial looked in his direction, he held up a finger to his mouth before returning to look at the Mahjarrat. She then shut her lips, giving Sliske a bit of a glare. While Sliske's appearance was never without unease, here there was some comfort. Maybe if he knew, Zamorak wouldn't actually get the Stone in the end.

"Well, since you won't say anything, I ought to keep this conversation going. In case you two didn't already figure it out, I'm already quite aware of what Zamorak is planning. You two can do whatever you like, whether sabotaging, waiting it out, or joining his side. No matter what you two do, your presence will have the intended effect. I will see you two again, when the heist is nearing its end. Be good now, won't you?" He said, before vanishing and kicking the two out of the Shadow Realm and back to the real world.

For a moment Zorial seemed to have to recollect herself, while Mole seemed ready to operate the device.

"Zori? It'll be alright." Mole said, turning in her direction, which encouraged Zorial to follow suit, picking up the device. Mole operated it first, then Zorial did, whisking them away into Daemonheim's depths where Zamorak awaited them.

~****~

_BGM Change: Sacred Distance[youtu.be/CaVxOehOKF4](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/CaVxOehOKF4) _

When they appeared, Mole appeared to acclimate to the underground setting nearly instantly, while Zorial took a little while longer despite the time she had spent underground as a Slayer. Perhaps Mole had been closer to this depth dungeoneering. Zorial was still a little tense, though in better control of her emotions than she was before. Every step seemed to reverberate in the chamber, as her heart beat a little faster and she felt both energy and anxiety in her bones. Making eye contact with beings like him was always the worst part; she couldn't shake the impression they were staring into her soul. All the stories she'd been told and all the effort she had put into fighting Zamorak certainly didn't help.

"Welcome, Black Guardian, White Guardian." Zamorak's voice echoed a bit in the chamber as both approached, Mole with steady strides and Zorial with reluctant steps, though they arrived at roughly the same time. 

_I'm just a few feet away from the very deity my parents and so many people in my childhood warned me against...and the one whose followers I fought so much against during my early adventuring days. I'm surprised I'm not sweating more._

_Probably because Mole is here too._

She looked over at him before looking back at Zamorak again trying to keep her expression stable and mostly succeeding.

Then she noticed Moia and a Mahjarrat that from the Chronicler's vision she recognized as Bilrach.

"Y-You're not dead?" Zorial said, with a bit of surprise, looking in his direction. Mole seemed to be a bit less surprised, shrugging and shaking his head before letting his arms fall by his sides.

"You speak to me first but not to the Lord Zamorak?  I should think you would show a bit more respect." Bilrach said, to which Zorial turned in the chaos deity's direction again. 

"I'm sorry, sir." Zorial said, curtsying lightly, a somewhat unbalanced compromise between not showing any respect at all and utmost devotion. No matter what their alignment, whenever she found herself in the presence of the deities of Gielinor, she couldn't help at least feeling an aura of respect if not outright reverence. Mole, however, seemed to be less affected by the presence of the divine beings in Gielinor than she was, and not just by virtue of being a fellow World Guardian with an immunity to divine energy.

"You will find that my followers are all very resourceful and are not struck down by things that would end the lives of other creatures," Zamorak commented, his gaze turned towards the White Guardian. "Many misunderstand my philosophy as being about pure chaos. No, it is rather a belief that too much order stagnates the growth of species and of individuals. There must be some unexpected elements...some chaos to sort through. We are the ones that cause that chaos, forcing everyone else in the world to adapt and grow stronger. Some of my followers have used this in the past to justify causing unnecessary harm to others, but that is not something I condone." He said, and Zorial surprisingly found herself interested in what he was saying.

_I feel like I'm supposed to disagree with this but at the same time it makes a lot of sense...in some ways._ Zorial scratched her chin a little bit while Mole stood by, arms crossed, tapping his fingers as if he had heard this before, yet also looking over at Zorial. She hadn't heard Zamorak explain himself before, after all. At the same time, however, he watched both intently, as if trying to keep an acid from corroding some lovely ancient treasure.

_What if I do end up agreeing with it? Do I change factions again? Do I just not bother assigning myself to a faction at all? It feels like I'm always learning new things...and if I lock myself down to one philosophy and way of thinking there's no chance to grow...._

_And, well...It would probably be ill-advised to give Zilyana or some of the other Icyene more of a reason to chant "Apostate" and call for my head. Not any more than I have now, that is..._

"So what does this mission entail?" Mole said, cutting off Zorial's train of thought perhaps without realizing it and perhaps deliberately. 

"First of all, this heist is not one you will be conducting by yourselves. You will need to assemble the most cunning and powerful of my followers, and in the case of some ask why they did not lend their support to me during the Battle of Lumbridge." Zamorak explained calmly.

"And which followers would these be?" Zorial said, having a feeling that she was going to immediately regret asking.

Bilrach complied by opening up a scroll that he seemed to have readied for this moment. "They are as follows: Hazeel, Jerrod, Nomad, General Khazard, Lord  Daquarius, Zemouregal, and Enakhra."

Once again, Mole didn't seem to visibly react with emotion. Conversely, a tangle of different memories and emotions were summoned to the Icyene's mind at the mention of each name, some certainly more potent than others. Two on the list especially made her stomach seem to tie itself in knots with dread.

_Nomad...you're still alive...?_

_And...Skullface is going to be on this mission._

 

Images of Varrock's tormentor in his pre and post regenerate state flashed through her mind, whether a set of uncannily jeweled eyes or a pair of sunken cyan peepers. The memories that flashed into her mind involved informing his undead hordes, conspiring with his right-hand gargoyle Sharathteerk in his Wilderness hideout or else being a living torment to Varrock or to its best-known hero, Arrav. The hero of her adopted home. 

_Stay strong. Showing signs of weakness would be ill-advised here._

"...Zori, do you want to split up the list of who to retrieve?" Mole said, turning to her with a somewhat flat tone, but memory recalled him often saying this in a softer manner; perhaps the presence of Zamorak was just no place to be exchanging platonic affection.

"...Sure. That would make our work faster." Zorial replied, in as neutral of a tone as she could muster, though with escaping traces of joy and anxiety.

Mole walked over to Bilrach and carefully took the list from him as the two reviewed the names again, as well as details on their last seen locations. He walked back, taking a place by Zori's side.

_Lord Daquarius might be a bit hard to convince but at least he's not a Mahjarrat. Enakhra, while we've squabbled, is one of the few females, so she might be a good choice. But the rest of the options don't sound very pleasant at all...a werewolf, several other Mahjarrat...including the one that...No._

_But, now that I think about it further....This is actually a really good opportunity. If a few certain someones are plotting something, I may have a chance to be able to see what's going on. And if I rat out those plots, it might establish my credibility..._

Zorial pondered, while looking over the list. Zemouregal's outright irreverence towards Zamorak in secret at the Empyrean Citadel had set off warning bells in her mind. 

_Perhaps, he'll try to do the very same thing his cousin did._

_...Wait, credibility for what? Why would I want to be currying favor with Zamorak?_

"Won't you two depart to begin your mission soon?" Moia commented, looking in their general directions.

"We're plotting who would be best to retrieve which followers." Mole responded, in a fairly neutral tone, perhaps to cover for Zorial's pondering.

"...How would I convince them I'm trustworthy? I can see most of the individuals on this list just laughing me off or thinking that it's a trap." Zorial said, forcing the facade of an interrogator that while working, seemed to cause a bit of mental dissonance.

"That will be up to you to execute." Bilrach said, seeming to adjust his robes a bit. "See this as your first test of competency for this task." He said, in a manner that seemed scholarly enough to be somewhat comforting but with an eerie chill to it. While she could protest, Zorial had already given her word, which she hated to break and become a liar. 

"Right. I understand." Zorial said, nodding and keeping a mostly neutral tone. "I choose...Lord Daquarius, Enakhra, and ...Zemouregal." She said, almost choking on the last name in the list. "And maybe since the list is uneven, we can leave one of the ones for whoever gets to it first." 

"Righto, that leaves me with Jerrod, Hazeel, Khazard, and Nomad." Mole said, nodding at Zorial. 

"Does that mean you will be departing now?" Moia said, crossing her arms and tapping a foot.

"Yup." Mole said, before throwing down what looked like a smoke bomb and simply vanishing to gods know where.

_BGM: Uwa! So Temperate![youtu.be/rHU4rpQUshg](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/rHU4rpQUshg) _

However, Zorial lingered around momentarily, making careful steps over to Moia.

"...What are you doing, Zorial?" Moia asked, both curious and perhaps a little frustrated.

"Before I leave...can we talk about you?" She said, trying to maintain a neutral expression but failing to supress a friendly smile, which just left Zamorak's general perplexed.

"I don't...see why not." Moia said, perhaps a little awkwardly, dropping her arms.  
"I will say that I do not consider Lucien to be my father." Moia said, as if reading Zorial's mind to some extent. "He was unworthy...I consider Zamorak to be more of my mentor and guardian than he ever was." She said, which made Zorial's eyes widen a bit. Zorial simply nodded along, interested in what she was saying. 

"Now that we are through with that...will you leave for your mission now?" While Moia still seemed irritated, there was now a bit of curiosity and suspicion in the undertones of her voice.

"Yes. See you for the heist, Moia." Zorial said, with a small smile before teleporting off herself to the dungeons under Taverley, leaving the half-Mahjarrat perplexed and on her guard.

_What are you planning, White Guardian..._


	5. Zamorakians Assemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gathering the heist's participants turns out a bit more personal than expected.

_BGM: Dunjun[www.youtube.com/watch?v=2veygR…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2veygRIl50I) _

As it turns out, recruiting Lord Daquarius was a more interesting prospect than Zorial could have anticipated. As it turns out, some 'Saradominist drivel' was spreading amongst the Black Knights that she was supposed to stamp out. After hearing this, the sudden whispers of reverence that went through as Zorial the Icyene entered suddenly made sense. However, while Zorial felt uncomfortable with outright stamping it out, she did explain some of the reasons why she was not a Saradominist, being careful not to spill the numerous secrets that both World Guardians were tasked with keeping. As it turns out, an Icyene explaining why she didn't follow Saradomin was enough of a persuasion to turn the others back without much violence having to be done, which Zorial was thankful for.

After getting some fresh air, she unrolled a scroll containing her objectives and crossed Lord Daquarius off the list, then looking to the other two names she had chosen, and held her breath.

_Next...it seems that ...Zemouregal and Enakhra are together? This may be more complicated than I thought....at least Moia is willing to give a direct teleport._

She returned to the Zamorakian base to find that Mole had soon returned with Hazeel and Jerrod, neither of which Zorial had met before. For the most part, those who had gathered were mostly stationary, as if simply waiting. They looked at the Icyene with a look of surprise, suspicion, and contempt, but said nothing.

"You've returned, Zorial. Did you come to get teleported to your next destination?" She said, to which Zorial nodded.

"Yes, but can I ask something for a moment?" Zorial said, suddenly (at least as far as Moia was concerned) sounding more upbeat and even a little casual.  Bilrach simply looked at Zorial curiously while Zamorak looked at her in a way that concealed what he was thinking. Perhaps he was impatient with her, perhaps he was patiently waiting out what the White Guardian would do.

"Besides the heist and being a general of Zamorak, what have you been up to?" She asked, which once again made Moia look at her strangely.

"...I don't really do much else, no. Perhaps a bit of magic...perhaps a bit of research." She replied. "Why do you keep asking questions like this?" 

"I want to get to know you, plain and simple." Zorial said, with a more neutral and undisguised tone.

"Why?" She asked, as if Zorial were speaking a foreign language to her.

"...Because I'm curious?" Zorial said, which made all those in the room look at her strangely. 

"Do you want to form an alliance with us?" Moia asked, then crossing her arms as if getting ready for a business or political discussion.

"...No." Zorial said, not missing a beat.

"...You are a strange one...White Guardian Zorial." Moia said. "Are you ready to retrieve Zemouregal and Enakhra now?" She said, preparing a spell to teleport her.

"Yes, I am." Zorial replied, swallowing the lump in her throat. With a bit of magic and a familiar trip into the Abyss, she found herself in an an  all-too-familiar and unsettling tunnel system leading straight to Zemouregal's basement.

_BGM: Zombie Invasion[www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzviH…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLzviH13bdA) _

In a moment that was enough to ignite paranoia, Zorial saw several armored zombies at the basement's entrance, wondering if it had been meant specifically for her before realizing Zemouregal was probably just fortifying his basement against any intruders regardless of identity. No, he couldn't have anticipated this, she reasoned to herself. She thought she was insane for even agreeing to fetch him. 

As it turns out, that anger that still remained deep down was very useful at this moment in a controlled and diluted form.

Drawing Korasi's sword and a crystal ward, she charged the blade with lightning and made quick work of the undead, the sparks lingering in the air momentarily as the zombies collapsed into a pile of rotted flesh, bones, armor and weaponry. Sheathing the weaponry again and taking a deep breath, she stepped up the stairs, each one to her feeling like it shook the whole region with its impact.  
When she made her way up, she was greeted by the ornate and dark architecture that accompanied the Mahjarrat's mansion, green flames emitting from the various torches about and lighting the complex. Despite it being the manor of one of her worst enemies, she would admit it was well designed and had some level of awe to it. 

This factor, however, did not stop her from feeling like her heart would race with emotion as the graveyard from Varrock popped into her mind, as well as a note from a mournful Captain Rovin that she wouldn't be seeing her father Darius or mother Claria ever again. Oh, they fought honorably against the undead hordes indeed, she had no doubts about that. Over the years she had proved their care and instruction had influenced her and her heroism even if they weren't her parents by blood.

"Oh, do we have a visitor? My undead don't just randomly vanish with traces of Icyenic magic, after all..." 

The haunting and prideful voice drifted down the main chamber, calling her out and filling her soul with equal parts fear and resentment.

"Icyenic magic?" Another voice, a female one, said in a recognizing manner, which while inciting less of a reaction on its own only served as a catalyst to the cocktail of primal emotion rising in her.

Zorial breathed deeply and summoned all the poise, confidence, and nobility she could, the walk down the hallway growing tenser and tenser until she turned the corner to the Mahjarrat's private chamber and met eyes with them both, one set a white, the other set an unsettling cyan, the silvery face framed by a dark purple hood. She didn't want to look at him any more than she absolutely had to.

"Why, if it isn't the Defender of Varrock herself," Zemouregal commented, with a curious hand on his chin as if observing some exotic creature in a zoo. "And just what reason would you have to visit me? Other than the obvious, that is." He said, with a bit of joviality that crept under her skin in a way Sliske never could no matter how hard he tried.

"...Zamorak has recruited the two of you for a heist to steal the Stone of Jas." Zorial said, hastily spitting out the words  in an attempt to get it over as quickly as possible. With that, the male Mahjarrat let out a bout of hearty laughter while Enakhra just crossed her arms and glared at Zorial with suspicion.

"Oh, isn't this rich! My 'worst enemy' and him are teaming up! I must be dreaming." He said, seemingly lost in his own head. "Or else, maybe I'm even more amazing than I thought," he muttered to himself.

"Are you sure? This is incredibly suspicious." Enakhra said, turning to her counterpart in an attempt at least on the surface level to calm him down.

"...If you don't think I mean it, I have a token of proof." She said, mustering a serious expression and calm demeanor in a way that exhausted her unlike any physical or magical battle ever could. She withdrew a couple pieces of parchment from her pack, and swallowing her distaste, handed them to Zemouregal. She cringed as the Mahjarrat's hand brushed her own.

"Oh my!" He said, unfolding the sheets before his expression showed one of surprise. "...Well, now where did you find these? You must have been snooping around some places you shouldn't have..."

"Yes, they're your past notes on other Mahjarrat. I found them a few years ago when trying to free Arrav. You really shouldn't leave stuff like that lying around." Zorial said, trying as best as she could to force a cold facade, but failing and letting some of the emotion in her heart through.

"Hmm, maybe old Zamorak was onto something with recruiting you...you're more devious than you usually show, little heroine." He said flatly, to which Enakhra seemed genuinely surprised.

"...It seems I've underestimated you, White Guardian." She said, then seeming somewhat friendlier than she usually showed to the Icyene.

"Next time I will have to set up Icyenic detection spells, as opposed to merely human ones." Zemouregal said in a procedural way after putting the notes away. "We will see you during the heist, little heroine." Zorial braced herself to hand them the device to teleport to Zamorak's Daemonheim lair before breathing a sigh of relief once they were gone.

_Now...I have a chance to see what he's up to..._

Just as soon as she thought that thought, a certain gargoyle shambled in the room.

"Ah...it's you." Sharathteerk said, in a somewhat raspy voice, adjusting his helmet somewhat and looking around before making eye contact with Zorial. "Adventurers, especially Icyenic ones, are now forbidden from examining the amazing Zemouregal's mansion." 

Zorial lingered around, leaving the gargoyle somewhat impatient with her, as if she had trouble processing what he said. 

"Are you done?" The gargoyle rasped out. 

"...Yes." Zorial said, her face downcast.

_Get me out of  here..._ Zorial thought, before teleporting back to the lair and hoping against hope she would find some peace and quiet before the heist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BGM: Underworld [www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPEmZL…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPEmZLRxzyo)

The trip of the one known as Black Mole to Death's abode was quite an unusual one.  
After having retrieved General Khazard from some personal investigations for the heist, he made his way to Draynor and entered into the portal, where he found himself greeted by a room seeming to float in some kind of purple dimensional plane, where energy seemed to swirl in the background and sparks were occasionally seen flying about.

A walkway bordered by chains beckoned him to enter in further (though he did not see it), where the blue-robed and blue-eyed being equipped with a bony double-bladed scythe floated eerily above the floor in the peculiarly shaped office. Hourglasses sitting on standard-looking wooden shelves that one would presume belonged to those who were yet alive threatened to scatter around the room, as did the books whose scritchings indicated that lives being lived were being recorded. 

All this did not seem to matter to the soul whose owner Death was trying to claim, Nomad, the very Scourge of Souls. But why would it matter to him? He had no regard for how the souls were used in their death, how would he care for the lives that made them up as well?

The mysterious Slayer Master witnessed this battle as he entered in the room, a beam of energy much like the one used by Saradomin and Zamorak during their strife in Lumbridge being held between the two combatants.

"It's...you." Death uttered as he caught eye of Mole entering his office.

"I will be brief," Mole said, bluntly. "Nomad is needed, and I will make sure he pays for his crimes later." 

"Are you sure about this, Black Guardian?" Death said, to which a simple nod from Mole showed his quiet resolve. With this, Nomad was released from Death's beam, and the eerily armored battlemage looked at the one who had put him on probation.

"Now, what have you called me for, Black Mole?" He said, an inquisitive tone to his voice.  
"Zamorak is calling you for a mission." Mole replied.

"Oh, and will you be accompanying this mission?" Nomad said, as if almost a bit sadistically curious, his laughter not rattling Mole who simply handed him one of the devices and nodded.

"I should wonder why, Slayer, but that is not my business, is it..." He said, as if trying to tease information about the blind man before him. A stalwart expression on his face told Nomad all he needed to know. "Very well. I will soon see you there." With that, the battlemage warped away to the meeting area.

"You are ABSOLUTELY sure about this?" Death said. "You know I have been trying to claim his soul for a long time."

"Believe me, I have handled many that are worse than him." Mole said, with a determined and somewhat threatening reply.

"...I suppose I will have to trust you, and Guthix's choice of you as one of the Guardians. Is the other Guardian involved with this, perchance?" Death inquired, then taking a seat at his desk and gazing at Mole intently.

"Yes, she is." That seemed to cause Death to relax somewhat.

"I hope the both of you will be enough to restrain him."  Death said, as Mole gave him one last look before dissapearing in smoke and returning to Zamorak's lair.


	6. A Heisty Start

_BGM: Warped Floors Ambience[www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYHFJ…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYHFJbAiKo) _

Nomad was the last of the Zamorakians to arrive. There was a calm tension before as Zamorak seemed to assess all the individuals gathered, the White and Black Guardians in the middle of the circle across from him.

"It seems we are all assembled, then." Zamorak said, scanning the ring of expectant faces.

"...Are we really going to trust an Icyene with this mission?" Hazeel said as if waiting to say it for a thousand years, looking the way of Zorial as he gave her a cold and suspicious stare.

_Another Mahjarrat that I thought was dead is alive..._ Zorial thought to herself.

"Do you have an objection, Hazeel? If so, state it plainly." Moia said, turning in his direction.

"How do we know this isn't a sabotage attempt from Saradomin!?" He said with fervor, and Zorial inwardly cringed a bit.

"I'm not a Saradomin-" Zorial started to say.

"She explained before all my dissenting  troops why she did not follow Saradomin." Lord Daquarius piped up, looking at Zorial and then at Hazeel.

"...This is very strange." The Mahjarrat commented, shaking his head.

"As I have said before, Guthix blessed two World Guardians, White and Black, with the power to resist divine energy, amongst other things. Zorial is the White, and Black Mole here is well, the Black. Our Lord Zamorak has suspected that it is necessary, based on the traps found within the hideout, that we will need both. They are supposed to be Guthix's living embodiments of balance. If you want to question her credibility further, just know that it should be in the interest in making her more qualified, not to discredit Lord Zamorak's wisdom." Bilrach said, which caused Zorial to breathe an internal sigh of relief and grow tense at the same time.

"Do you think she would have the heart for a mission like this? She's an insufferable, heroic goody two-shoes is what she is." Khazard said, as if spitting bile in her face, the memory of the young heroine defeating him in the Fight Arena something he never really forgot. Mole stood on standby, tense, but not intervening just yet.

"Oh, but she will be sneaky for the sake of those heroics, why, the Defender of Varrock here has been quite the bother in my schemes. You at the Ritual will remember that Arrav broke free from my control; that was because this little Icyene was scurrying about my fortresses undoing the spells I had put on him. She even nicked my notes on my fellow Mahjarrat...which she only just returned." Zemouregal said, laughing a little, before returning to a calm tone but with a voice Zorial thought was too loud.

_He must have a reason for standing up for me..._ Zorial thought, as Zemouregal made eye contact with an expectant expression Zorial couldn't read but felt unsettled by. Noticing this, Mole looked at her, nodded, then looked at Zemouregal with an expression Zorial only assumed was some kind of not-so-subtle warning.

"How many times did Death have to intervene to keep your soul from my hands, Zorial, when we duelled? Are we sure she is strong enough?" The next to speak was Nomad, who looked first at Zorial and then around, his battlestaff now in hand and aimed at the Icyene as a mock threat.

"I can answer that." Mole then said, his more serious and gruff tone a comfort to Zorial. "She is a Slayer Master from my tutelage now and has been so for many years, Nomad. She is not weak." He said, then giving him the same expression he gave Zemouregal.

This caused something of a hush to fall over the chamber as perhaps the members were pondering the revelations they had heard, provoking further curiosity.

"I think we are done with this line of questioning." Moia then said, intervening, though looking at Zorial in a way that was all but a summons to meet in private later. "Time is running short; we must embark." Moia said, which despite some low murmurs of complaint amidst the congregated Zamorakians, caused all of them to silence themselves.

"Shall we go together?" Mole said graciously, holding out a Drakan's medallion to Zorial and clasping both their hands together.

"Why, of course." Zorial said smiling, as they warped to the Barrows. Moia simply observed the two of them as she was perplexed by them, like a biologist studying the behavior of a foreign species.  
Is this why she is here? Because of him? She wondered, before then teleporting herself.

~*****~

_BGM: Revenge of Meta Knight (SSBB Version)[www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3gLNo…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3gLNomXwlw) _

The location of the lair was below the Barrows crypt, and the locale was shrouded in the same eerie magenta that characterized the graves above it. A bit of conferrence between all in attendance eventually decided to split up the directing duties between Mole and Zorial. 

Mole primarily directed those in the team that were strong with sneaking and seeking, such as Jerrod, Moia, and Khazard, his lack of sight amplifying his other senses to precision.Meanwhile, Zorial stayed back, alternately helping Nomad and Enakhra to balance out the magic lock in the door in the lair and helping Zemouregal to fend off the wights that would most certainly enter in the chamber and see them. Despite the tension that had been present earlier, the team seemed to be cohesive...at least for now, as both World Guardians scurried about their tasks as sneakily as possible. For now, there was no mental capacity to worry about who had ill relations with whom. The difficulty, it seemed, lay more in the execution than it did in relational metrics. 

When they opened the chamber, they found a side cavern that would appear to lead them where they wanted in order to unlock the stone next, a cavern that had multiple branching paths and each chamber with a stone tablet containing some kind of riddle.

"It seems we have reached a place for some of us to rest....Zorial, meet with me at your earliest convenience." Moia said, to which Zorial nodded, leading to murmurs among the Zamorakains. Mole simply sat crosslegged along one of the walls, his arms crossed, observing the Zamorakians and hiding his own emotion.

"Hmmm..." Lord Daquarius muttered, his face showing a serious and pondering expression. "Perhaps having a user of well, Icyenic magic would make this easier than if we didn't have her. It is quite effective in making sure the wights don't come back." 

"Pah. If she lets any of that lightning fly at the wrong time, we'll be outed for sure." Hazeel murmured. "I'd much rather prefer another thief like the Black Guardian."

"Who knows if she isn't just trying to sabotage the campaign for her 'heroics', if not for Saradomin or whomever she's taken to following these days. She's been attempting to get close to Moia...perhaps to get her to spill our faction's secrets. I'm not convinced." Khazard said once again, one of his hands involuntarily balling up into a fist.

"Hmmph. I do not care as long as she does not get in the way of me and my prey." Jerrod replied, licking his teeth.

"Give the little heroine a chance. She could very well be warming up to the Lord Zamorak and wait until she, and Zamorak, find out you've been talking bad about her behind her back when our lord honors her..." Zemouregal then said, having to hide some contempt in his voice.

"You seem to have taken quite a liking to the White Guardian." Nomad commmented, then looking at the Mahjarrat. "What do you see in her?" 

For a moment, Zemouregal was silent. Now was not the time to reveal his hand, he thought, but he had to say something to keep from arousing the others' suspicions. 

"...If someone is able to thwart my great schemes, they must have great power, and the little Icyene has forced me to not be complacent. That is strength through chaos, and enough of a testament, is it not?" He said, then turning to Enakhra and whispering something in Infernal which made her eyes widen and then her head nod in a somewhat anxious way.

Meanwhile, the Black Guardian observed Varrock's terror from the shadows, having temporarily dissapeared elsewhere for matters only he could know.

~*****~  
__  
BGM: Locked Girl ~ The Girl's Secret Room (Retrospective 53 Minutes version)  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZQdzd…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZQdzdRlhUc)

"You wanted to see me?" Zorial asked, after Moia had led her away to one of the chambers in the cavern far enough away from the group, in a cave mouth that above it bore Zamorak's symbol.

"Yes, White Guardian Zorial." She said, sitting down, and inviting the Icyene to do the same.  
"You asked me about myself, and I only thought it fair that I should ask about you in return. Many of the Zamorakians doubt your loyalty to this mission, as you have heard...I want to hear it from you directly. Why did you choose to help us?" She looked intently at Zorial's face, and had her ears poised to hear every sound of the White Guardian's response.

"...Well, I have a lot of reasons for it. Some of them...based on intuition. I wanted to find out what I could learn here, for one. Just because I don't join a particular faction doesn't mean I can't benefit from the wisdom of their philosophy in some way...." Zorial said, somewhat awkwardly, looking off to the side a bit  a little while Moia leaned in.

"Another reason is that there are certain members on this mission that I want to keep a close eye on. Not only might they be destructive to Gielinor as a whole but...also to your faction." Zorial said, and Moia's eyes widened somewhat. "Granted, I only came up with this reason once I actually knew who was on the mission." 

_BGM: Innocent Treasures ~ Kid's Festival  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTlA_L…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTlA_Lfssp0) _

"And, if....I'm being perfectly honest..." Zorial said, then having to take a deep breath.  
"...Yes, White Guardian Zorial?" Moia replied.

"You can just call me Zorial, you know. It's fine." She said, looking up at the half-Mahjarrat again, this time smiling a little.

"...The last reason I joined was you." She said, which simply left Moia silent momentarily.  
"...Me? Why me?" She asked. 

"I guess it's a bit hard to explain...But...Well, when I was in Daemonheim before, I met this seer of some kind...Skaldrun." She said.

"He...had the power to look at the memories infused into objects." Moia crept somewhat closer to Zorial without even realizing it.

"Some of those memories I got to look into were..." Zorial looked down, and then up at Moia. "Well, yours. I won't go into what I saw but....You've lived a hard life, haven't you?"

The two sat in silence, staring at one another, Zorial's face showing a sympathy that came from the soul. Moia was silent, perhaps pondering, perhaps not even knowing what to say. Perhaps it was just improper to speak. 

"...Have you ever had any friends?" Zorial asked, unable to stop the feeling of compassion rising in her heart.

"...I don't think I have, no...what is a 'friend'....Zorial?" She said, perhaps a bit awkwardly, confirming Zorial's suspicions.  

"Friends are...people who are there for eachother. Who have fun doing silly things together. Who enjoy silly jokes together, who just live life together. Who enjoy one another's company...and when you're with a friend, you don't have to worry about being who you really are. Even if you disagree...you still understand." Zorial said, smiling more and more as she spoke, the shadows of tears in the folds of her eyes.

Once again, Moia sat silent, staring at the Icyene and pondering.

"...Is the Black Guardian....erm....Black Mole...your friend?" She asked, curious as she connected the dots in her mind.

"Yes...yes he is. One who was there for me so many times. Even before we were actually friends...I guess I could tell you the story later." Zorial looked up at the ceiling, smiling, as memories flashed through her mind. "I couldn't do this mission, or be where I am now in adventuring without him. There's a lot more to say, but this isn't the time or the place..." She trailed off her speech.

"So...That's why..." Moia said, thinking out loud, now looking at the ground. A moment later, she got up, leading Zorial to follow suit.

"...You've confirmed to me that you have no intent to sabotage this mission, as far as I know."  
She said, seeming to return to the serious face that being Zamorak's prime general demanded. However...she couldn't stop herself from glancing over at Zorial and Mole even more now when both of them returned to the chamber. Mole patted Zorial on the shoulder, as if to reassure her. If she was being honest, the half-Mahjarrat was somewhat jealous.

_Could that...really be mine, too? But....what if it compromised my loyalty to Zamorak...._

"Right, will we be moving on, now?" Mole said, getting up and turning towards the cave system.  
"Yes." Zorial and Moia said in unison, looking at one another, then to Mole, then to the waiting group.

_BGM: Taking Over the Halberd (Remix)[www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2akDP…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2akDPl-4n0) _

"...We shall go now." Moia said, following behind the White and Black Guardians, no, Zorial and Mole, as they found the path through the caverns. The others followed after them, one Zemouregal lingering behind and observing the change in Moia and Zorial with equal amounts of disgust and curiosity.  



	7. Stone of Future and Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stone of Jas's presence has contained both discovery and despair. What shall it bring this time, I wonder...

_BGM: Taking Over the Halberd (Remix)[www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2akDP…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2akDPl-4n0) _

After the company had made their way through the tunnels, Zorial marking the way with light orbs in the event the members got lost (with yet more grumbling from General Khazard), they were greeted by more tunnels, this time shining red and guarded both by Sliske's wights and eerie red masks that they assumed were some kind of security camera. The only other member to help this time was Jerrod, whom Zorial kept charge of. She acted as Mole's eyes (in addition to his other keen senses) to help him spot where the masks were, leading the master thief to be able to disable them and Zorial to set the souls of the wights free with her magic once the masks were gone. Meanwhile, the wights they couldn't reach were dealt with quite messily by the werewolf once Mole had flipped the switches. It was almost refreshing in a way, being so near to him for such an extended period of time again, working together. It was Mole who ultimately undid the locking mechanism on the door that led to the Stone of Jas.

Knowing Sliske had anticipated this, it wasn't too hard to see the whole thing as one elaborate game to amuse the devious Mahjarrat.

"...We made it..." Zorial said, breathing a sigh of relief as they stood at the door momentarily, perhaps taking a moment to rest before awaiting what was inside. 

_BGM: Goodnight  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-DZp…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-DZpeRjvk)_

Memory washed into Zorial's mind of when she found the stone before. Both times, she was alone, with the wounded rage of vengeance and a reservoir of confusion in her heart. This is what rushed through her mind as the door slowly opened to reveal an atrium and the Stone. The Balance Elemental...Movario...The frozen north...visions of its origin and of Saradomin healing Zilyana...the pain of two newly grown wings bursting out of her back with a burst of electric power and blood as a spell she never knew was on her was undone, revealing an Icyene in one who was thought human. That power, not just that of the Stone but of latent Icyenic magic within, first razed through Lucien's tormented demons. How could she accept who she really was, having followed the way of Guthix for many years?

Years later the same power would rip through General Khazard and glacors and the undead on the ritual site in what felt like an eon ago. The alliance that worked to fight them, Sir Tiffy Cashien, Wahisietel, Thaerisk, Akrisae, and of course the Mahjarrat then were as surprised to find out as Zorial was; the wings were limp and could be hidden well.

Zorial looked over at Mole as they approached the chamber. He wasn't there physically either of those times; he was now. Even when he was her master during the time of the ritual, she was alone at the site, as far as she knew. Perhaps he was in the shadow then.

Even when that rage wanted to see justice come down on someone, anyone, even when he was one she found trying to foil the plots of a Zamorakian necromancer with the Temple Knights. It was a tangential incident....but she found him. It took a lot of searching in Gielinor's dark underbelly to find him, and many thought she was insane for wanting to seek him out. 

She would never forget what he said and did when she found him in [LOCATION REDACTED]...how his blind gaze seemed to see into the true state of her soul, past the anger and vengeance to a wounded and otherwise pure spirit that was like a white rose untainted by a swamp of corruption around it. More and more time with the little Icyene would see that rose grow and flourish while retaining its snowy, almost shining white.

_  
Why have you come here, winged one?_

_You have crimes to pay for!_

_I was merely trying to do what the White Knights apparently will not. The refugees of Burthrope will thank me for that merchant being dead._

_.........._

_Look, winged one. I will not fight you. You may be with them...but you are not like them. And...I cannot hurt a lady like yourself._  
  
Even though that incident was resolved mostly cleanly (though with Sir Owen having to live with the memory of being nearly paralyzed by the future Black Guardian's magic), the curiosity about the one she had found lingered. She found him again. She found out he was a Slayer Master, like the ones Lucien had killed. She didn't remember precisely how it happened, but that was when he spread his cloak of protection over her, so to speak. That was a better way to react to what Lucien had done. Rather than letting anger consume her...it was better to honor the memory of the Masters that had died by being one of the next generation to take their place. Even if the anger was never gone, it could be controlled. Later she would learn just how strong Icyenic emotion was compared to the other mortal races.

_How funny....if Zemouregal had never invaded my home, if Lucien had never stolen the Stone...I may never have met one of my best friends._

"...Thank you, Moley. For everything." Zorial said with a smile, having to hold back tears, as Mole pat her on the shoulder.

Her heart was filled with a nostalgic feeling as she seemed to drift off to a lovely land of memory...then she remembered the Zamorakians would probably be getting impatient, and half-consciously looked back.

_BGM: Silence_

"The way is clear." Mole turned around and called out, as him and Zorial were the first in the chamber, leading the rest of the Zamorakian team to enter in as well. 

Not long after everyone had entered, however, did the snake pulling the strings appear in a bout of laughter, catching the group off guard.

_BGM: Barrows Unlisted Ambient  
[youtu.be/DP3ij70OOT4](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/DP3ij70OOT4) _

"Ahahaha....You thought old Zammy got the jump on me! But if you'd noticed the traps I set up, oh how you'd realize I anticipated you this whole time...I just didn't intervene until now because I wanted to watch the show." Sliske said, threatening to lean against the Stone and wearing a jovial expression that managed to grind the gears of those present just enough.

"But since we're here....I can't let you have the Stone easily, no." He laughed again, then waved his hands and produced nearly perfect shadow copies of everyone present, save for the White and Black Guardians. Everyone immediately readied themselves for combat, either tensing into poses for battle, drawing weaponry, transforming, preparing to cast spells or summon the undead.

"And for our dear World Guardians...I have an extra special treat!" Before Mole could block or Zorial could defend, both were hit with a spell that took them out of the arena and into the Shadow Realm.

~*****~

_BGM: Sullied Grace/Dirty and Beauty  
[youtu.be/40DEipGcoXg](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/40DEipGcoXg)_

When Zorial got her bearings again, she saw the shadow of a taller, lankier Icyene garbed in some kind of ornate armor, wielding a scythe that seemed paradoxically carved out of the parts of some beast yet trimmed with various precious metals and even a little crystal. Her face, was covered with some mask that looked like despair had been carved into its essence. It trailed both what Zorial thought was acid or poison and the Icyenic magic Zorial had slowly taught herself to use over the years. She floated off the ground like some kind of wraith, and her movements seemed to be almost, but not quite like her own. Her joints didn't bend that much. The sight was mesmerizing but horrifying, like a siren.

 _"Your strength won't be enough...You have to be careful....Or he'll own you. He has planned it from the very beginning."_The shadow said, its voice garbled and twisted version of her own. She wasn't sure if it was a hallucination or not, but she swore she saw teeth like a monster in her mouth.

"I...don't know what you're talking about, but I'm going to foil that serpent's schemes! I'm going to bring peace to Gielinor! That serpent tried to collect me once, and he failed!" Zorial shouted back, before the figure took off  and slammed down with the scythe, forcing Zorial to dodge quicky and draw out her faithful sword and deflector. 

_I can't afford to lose hope!_

With resolve from her thoughts, she mixed the magic in the Void Knightress's blade with her own, the sparks forming a sizable aura around the sword as the next time the shadow came in to attack. She made a clean stab, the magic radiating out from the blade and causing the shadow to cringe momentarily. When Zorial tried to strike again, the shadowy Icyene raised the scythe to block it and it bounced off. The shadow took off again, and Zorial lay in wait for when she would strike again, dodging some shadowy lightning that rained down in a frantic pace.

 _"Please! Listen! You don't know how deep his, their, schemes go! Please understand!"_ The pleading, the panic in the shadow's voice was enough to unsettle Zorial enough for the scythe to nick one of her wings.  She just barely dodged a deft strike from the shadowy counterpart; how much more experience must she have flying? Where did she get that weapon?

_"I....I can't tell you any more details, but please don't go further."_

These words Zorial heard when the scythe slashed her arm, causing her to yelp in pain as the sparks she so often used on others stunned her momentarily and left a gash on her shield arm that started to leak out blood and stain her robes.

"Why fight me then?" Zorial said, confused and readying another spell, this time trying to use her sword like a wand to launch a bolt at her opponent.

 _"If I stop you now....you won't make the same mistakes I did."_ Her tone, though eerie and ghostlike, was mournful, as if she were about to cry. The next moment, she started charging some kind of a spell, an orb of light starting to gather around a crystalline orb at the head of the scythe as she floated in midair, surrounded by some kind of a light barrier.

Seeing a window of opportunity, Zorial mounted up on her wings and tried to fly closer, arcing her blade down on the shadowy Icyene's head.

 _"Please understand I don't want to do this...But if I don't, it'll ALL FALL APART!"_ With a ringing out scream in an almost symphonic voice, she slammed the scythe down into the ground with a startling crack. Suddenly what looked like light pillars dropped down from the ceiling, Zorial getting grazed by one of them and feeling the pain as well as severe disorientation as the chamber shook.

_How am I supposed to beat her? What's she talking about?_

_Is she...me? From the future? Does...Sliske really get me in the end? Is this...reality?_

_No, I can't hesitate!_

The next time more lightning struck, Zorial raised her ward and made most of it glance off, then dashing with just the plain sword, getting in a couple of strikes while her other self was recuperating from her most recent attack. The two bolted around the chamber, the light and dark magic and weaponry clashing against one another, all the while Zorial wondered what Sliske hoped to accomplish with this. She couldn't stop, couldn't rest. At least the scythe was an unwieldy enough weapon  to dodge, if only she got her timing right. She couldn't afford to get it wrong, not with the wounds she was accumulating.

Yes...one strike, two, she was faltering, stunned by her attack. She had hope. She could win...just a little while longer. In what felt like an hour long battle, one more well-placed stab charged with magic put the shadow down on the ground kneeling, her wings the first part of her body to fade into wisps of shadow.

_"Be careful....or you'll become his Angel of Undeath."_

That was the last words the eerie Icyenic shadow spoke before she vanished into nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: The description of foreshadow!Zorial's description has been updated in light of further development of concepts. Ahehehehehehehe....


	8. Chamber of Chaos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From one battle to another, and from battle to the heist's end.

BGM: Ozar Midrashim  
[youtu.be/0oQhPsz0rxE](https://youtu.be/0oQhPsz0rxE)

When reality faded into view again, Zorial could see a battle was in full force between the Zamorakians and their doubles, though Sliske's shadows were not the only ones in view. No, indeed the very edges of the chamber seemed to be wreathed in shadow. She wondered momentarily how it had happened before she saw Mole emerge from the blackness with the same aura wreathed around his vicious claws, ones that cut right through Jerrod's lunging shade and made him dissolve. It didn't take long for Zorial to put two and two together.

_....This....this must be him with the Stone's power....I ought to follow suit._

Zorial placed her hand on the Stone, feeling a rush of the power filling her, an aura of white and crackling sparks started to gather around her as those around saw the magic shine in her eyes like rays from the sun. It was familiar....all except for one thing. The anger...the desire to right what what once went wrong....it was contained. She was in control. Despite what had happened, she was still in control.

_It's probably because...he's here too._

She surveyed the chamber, seeing Moia fighting with her own shade, as well as Khazard and Hazeel fighting their shadows together. Lord Daquarius and Jerrod were near taking out the former's shadow, while off in the corner Enakhra was being teamed by her shade and Zemouregal's, the latter being off at a distance in a chamber while his undead and his shade's shadowy undead tussled around the battles.

_How ironic, Zorial thought. He's always been proud, but deep down he's a coward._

"White Guardian! Help me!" Enakhra called out, and Zorial took flight, raising her blade and raining down lightning on the nearby shades, also causing the two spectres to start to break up. Enakhra then finished off her own shade, and was about to take out Zemouregal's as well until Zorial carefully stopped her.

"What are you doing?" She said, confused, as the magic around her hands dissipated.

"...This one's mine. It's...for personal reasons." Zorial said mildly, before charging up her blade with sparks, and gazing into the shadowy, fading eyes of the shade of her home's persecutor. She didn't have the chance to finish the job the last time they met at Guthix's resting place...but now....

_"For Varrock...For Arrav...For my mother and father...For Gieilnor."_

This Zorial whispered under her breath calmly with an ethereal and lilting tone, as she brought down the blade, sending out a wave of sparks through the room that disoriented the other shades further and mildly singed the Zamorakians who didn't get out of the way in a bit of friendly fire.

This left an opening for Mole to strike from the shadows again, dealing then with Daquarius's shade and enabling Moia to strike hers down; Zorial was glad that neither her nor Mole had to deal with her shade. Even if it was only a shadow, the idea of hurting her wounded her.

However, one of the Zamorakians was not found battling the shades. Indeed, Nomad had already struck his own down and was lurking by the heist's prize, his battlestaff poised by it like a threat. Mole was the first to notice, and then Zorial, leading both to fix their focus on the battlemage.

"It would seem you are not as keen as you should be, oh World Guardians, oh followers of Zamorak!" He said, laughing a little and deliberatly taunting everyone present but especially the World Guardians as now everyone else in the chamber turned their focus on him. Hazeel and Khazard got hit by their shades when they were distracted, but the two easily dispatched them when they saw that someone indeed intended to sabotage the mission, and it wasn't the White Guardian.

"I could take a piece....I could ascend above Zamorak. I could indeed, oh dear Thief, take your beloved White Guardian from you!" With little warning, he hurled his battlestaff at Zorial, who didn't have time to react before like a shadow Mole appeared and caught the battlestaff, giving Nomad a glare that if he had eyes, might just kill.

**"Don't. You. Dare."**

Perhaps it was merely the power of the Stone, but suddenly the voice of Mole had a dark and reverberating echo that hit with as much force as the spear he caught, hurling it back with a shadowy aura that struck the battlemage and caused him to crumple to the ground, the modified ancient spell seeming to seep into his flesh and his soul.

"Hmmph..." Nomad gasped out, holding his chest where the spear had struck, somehow finding the strength to chuckle a little. "Just as...predictable as ever. How dissapointing..."

Much like the last time Zorial had seen him in their duel under the Soul Wars complex, he somehow managed to teleport away despite being mere millimeters away from Death's door, somehow managing to avoid his fate once again. She wondered momentarily when the two had met previously.

BGM: Barrows Unlisted Ambient (again)  
[youtu.be/DP3ij70OOT4](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://youtu.be/DP3ij70OOT4)

When the chamber calmed, Sliske reappeared,  coming out of the shadows again as the light around Zorial dimmed and the shadow around Mole slowly dissipated much like the shades Sliske had summoned did. Sliske seemed somewhat upset and wounded about...something. On second thought, Zorial realized they'd been taken into the Shadow Realm again.

"Come on now, Moleo, why didn't you play along? You were supposed to FIGHT your shade, not calmly TALK to them and tell them to leave. Why can't you just be a good girl like Zori here and play the game?" Sliske held out his arms, then pointed to Zorial as he spoke.

" **...You are not a** s clever as you think you are, Sliske. Were that REALLY a shadow of my future self, it would not have fought me. You have failed in your game." He folded his arms and Sliske merely shook his head.

The next moment, Zamorak appeared, having apparently tracked the progress of the heist to this point.

"Well done, World Guardians. Now...the time has come." He put his hand on the Stone, and Zorial cringed somewhat as power flowed out of it and into him. "Join me, you two, and with our combined power we can put an end to this serpent that has plagued you."

"...No." Zorial said, nervously. "This is just what Sliske wants, to defeat him with mere violence. I have a better way...turning his scheme against him." 

Sliske and Zamorak both looked at the White Guardian with looks of amusement and bewilderment respectively. 

There was a moment of silence.

"...If that is her answer, I will respect it as well." Mole said, simply, uncrossing his arms and letting them hang by his side.

"Very well..." Zamorak said, looking at the artifact much like an alcoholic would behold a bottle of whiskey. Noticing this, Zorial noticed Sliske eyed it in much the same way.

"Oh, World Guardians...you are lucky. You only can absorb the power temporarily. But we...we who can retain that power are eventually enslaved by it....addicted to the rush." Sliske said, with a lament that made the gears turn further in Zorial's head.

"Well, farewell for now, dear Moleo, dear Icy-Pidgeon. I will see you again later...you two make for the best entertainment, after all." He vanished again, and that was the last time at least on this adventure that the World Guardians would find themselves in the Shadow Realm. 

~*****~

_BGM: Warped Floors Ambience (again)  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYHFJ…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYHFJbAiKo) _

When the three appeared in the main chamber again, Zamorak looked out upon his followers, who bowed before him....all save for Zemouregal, who seemed to hesitate before eventually dropping to his knees as well. Both World Guardians stood still.

"Well done...well done, you all. You have met with new chaos, and from it grown stronger than ever before. Though we may have failed in our original objective...I have regained the strength I lost to Saradomin. And I must commend the World Guardians...never could I have imagined an Icyene and a master thief together guiding my forces to victory. You...have breathed new life into this faction."

"She, we, don't belong to you." Mole said, simply.

"I haven't joined you, you know." Zorial echoed.

"Maybe not, White Guardian, but you have proved not all your race are possessed by the same blind devotion to Saradomin. Even if you have not joined us, Black Guardian as well, you will both have less trouble from my followers." All seemed to agree, nodding, though once again Zemouregal had to force a facade. He gazed at Zorial once again while she was focused on talking to Zamorak.

 _I wonder if you'd be this commendable if you knew who we were aligned with now, heh..._ Zorial thought, laughing to herself a bit as the shadowy form of Zaros in Freneskae's sanctum came into her mind.

"You, save for Khazard, Zemouregal, and Enakhra are dismissed. Moia will need to have a word with you three about your lack of support during the Battle of Lumbridge." He glanced in their general direction, and once again the necromancer had to behave himself. 

"You are free to go now, World Guardians." Moia said, surprisingly upbeat as far as the Zamorakians were concerned. 

_BGM: Ohayou (Piano Version)  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc6t1a…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc6t1aippjU)_

Mole turned to Zorial and offered her some runes.  "Shall we go together, again?" He said, and Zorial nodded, the two teleporting away, Zorial with the standard spell, Mole once again with his smoke bombs.


	9. Epilogue: The Past and the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is much to consider in the aftermath of the heist...

_Epilogue: The Past and the Future_

Zorial stood for awhile atop one of the towers on the fortress of Ghorrock, unsure of what compelled her to stand atop one of its spires overlooking the wilderness again. Perhaps she wanted to experience something like what her kin experienced on their home plane, as Padomenes had spoken of in the camp of Saradomin. One day, he would take her there, to see the land that Saradomin had made his own. Yes, she wanted to learn more, but it seemed she simply learned what she already knew. That the Icyene's purpose was to serve Saradomin, the one who had found them. Nevermind that Zaros had found them before....even if it was to experiment on them to save the race of the Illujanka, the Dragon Riders.

_The Stone...it's been the cause of so much pain and misery. Every time it's found, the power hungry rip the world apart for their own gain. The Dragonkin become more and more enraged. And the Stone only tightens the chains on their powerlust. If only...if only there were some way to make sure it was never found again...._

_But without it, I would have never known who I really was._

While she looked out, meditating with a faraway look on her mind, she glanced downward and saw Moia approaching once again.

"...Zorial, can I speak with you?" She said, and Zorial nodded, leaping down from the parapet and approaching her. 

"I...have spoken to Zamorak about the matter you asked me about. About...friendship." She said, the concept still seeming to be a foreign land she had only just set foot in.

"What did he say?" Zorial said, clasping her hands together at her waist and listening to Moia intently.

"...As long as it does not interfere with my duties to him, he has permitted it, as you proved yourself during the recent mission....but I still do not understand a lot about what it means. But...you will teach me, won't you?" She said. Zorial noticed...she even looked a little happy at the prospect, even excited.

"Yes, I will. Can I contact you somehow?" Moia held out the same device she gave before.

"This will still work to contact me, as well as in visiting the Lord Zamorak's domain." She said, simply. She paused for a moment, looking down at the ground, with her hand on her hip. 

"...Do you have something else you want to say?" Zorial said, noticing Moia's bashfulness.

"I want to ask...more about why you supported Saradomin during the Battle of Lumbridge." She said, looking up enough to make eye contact with the Icyene. 

"...It was to find out more about my kind." Zorial said, to which Moia's eyes widened in genuine surprise. 

"You mean...you do not know?"

"I learned a little bit...about the land where we came from, but....not much else that I didn't already know. That our kind is supposed to serve Saradomin in his holy armies. But...I can't walk that path like my parents before me did. Not after what I've learned." Zorial looked at Moia with a look of sincerity and almost a degree of mournfulness. "I...abandoned the fight. I couldn't bear to see Lumbridge being wrecked like it did. I couldn't bear the fighting. Perhaps I could tell you more, once we get to know eachother better." She returned to a neutral expression.

"You have taught me a lot...I misjudged you, just based on what you seemed. Zamorak was right about you."

"As you have me. Neither of us...neither of us are bound by where we come from...we can go someplace else from where our origin comes." Zorial said, almost misty-eyed and contemplative, before getting her bearings in reality again.

"One thing that friends do is that they...share some gesture or thing that strengthens their bond and...serves as a symbol of the relationship..." Zorial said, scratching her chin as she struggled to put intuition into actual language. Moia listened patiently.

"...Do you want to make that...symbol here and now?" She questioned.

"Yeah...Mole and I like to give hugs to one another." Zorial said, smiling fondly and Moia seemed to take interest, stepping closer.

"Could I have one of these hugs, then?" She said, eager. What she saw they had...it really could be hers too.

"Of course. It's what friends do. They want to be close." Zorial then walked over and lightly put one arm and one wing around Moia, who seemed both perplexed and yet calmed by what was happening. Not long after, they separated.

"Thank you...White Guard, erm, I mean, Zorial. I...hope to see you again, I must be going now." Moia said, then seeming to prepare a spell to teleport once she had made it out of the Wilderness.  
"Goodbye!" Zorial said, waving as Moia walked away. The Icyene had a smile on her face and a full heart.

_Lucien...it seems you left another good thing in this world too, despite the chaos you wreaked in the name of power... Something, no, someone, you never fully appreciated. But I will do what you never did and see what you never could see._

_Her name is Moia...my newest and most unexpected friend._

~*****~  
_BGM: Danger Mystery  
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhpJN6…](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhpJN6Khesw) _

Finally, that was over with. Zemouregal was sitting in his study, and didn't know whether he was satisfied with what he had found from the proceedings or if he wanted to do whatever analagous thing Mahjarrat did to humans wanting to throw up in their mouths; no, it was both. He had to put on the facade of being just like the other blind followers of Zamorak, and he hated it.

But it was worth the effort. He learned much. He saw the power of both World Guardians...and perhaps even their strengths and weaknesses. He had never expected the White to come straight to him, to give him a chance to observe her. She couldn't just be left alone. He had seen her at the Ritual Site...he had seen her now, the power she possessed. 

And, the interest she took in the mongrel that was his niece filled him with a similar mix of both pleasure and disgust. The pieces were all coming together, better than he could have ever planned. Yes, he was the amazing Zemouregal. He would not be bested by some two-bit heroine, no matter how clever or powerful she was or how fiercely she was protected. He would not fall to the same mistakes his cousin did. 

He folded his hands; the idea already seemed to be like a drug. In the backrooms, the preparations were coming together. 

_White Guardian...little Icyene...Zorial Serenity Diamond. I may not need to seek the Staff or the Stone first...what I may need first indeed is you, little Hero of Varrock. Soon you will learn that all heroes who try to face me will all meet with the same fate._  



End file.
